Airdrie put their midweek defeat behind them to record a hard fought win over a well organised Peterhead side.

The visitors came into the game full of confidence after their win over title favourites Dunfermline, whilst Airdrieonians were after improvement following their 5 goal thrashing by Rangers.

Peterhead were in control in the first half and created the only real chances arising.

In the first minute Jordon Brown fired wide of Neil Parry’s right post, then two minutes later Nicky Riley’s effort on goal from 20 yards was blocked after Steven Noble slid a free kick to him.

From a rare Airdrie spell in the visitor’s final third on eight minutes, Sean Crighton’s header from Liam Watt’s corner was cleared by keeper Graeme Smith. The follow up saw Bryan Prunty flick Jordan Morton’s cross wide of the target.

Noble's deliveries from the corner were causing concern at Parry’s front post, but the defence stood firm.

After Watt appeared to have been fouled on the touchline, a long ball upfield picked out Rory McAllister in 28 minutes and after cutting inside, he curled a shot just beyond the Airdrie keeper, but wide of goal.

A minute later the big striker volleyed a shot from 20 yards that was well taken by Parry.

The best chances of an otherwise uneventful first half came in the closing quarter of an hour.

On the half hour Jamie Redman and Shane Sutherland combined, and Sutherland’s threaded pass put Cammy Kerr in on goal. Kerr was on target with his angled shot but Parry reacted superbly to turn the ball away for a corner.

In first half time added Riley’s pass to Brown was teed up for Sutherland and he fired wide of goal from the edge of the box.

The visitors used McAllister as their out ball in the second half launching it long, with the in-form striker holding up play and bringing his team mates into the match.

A Watt miskick let Riley control the ball five minutes after the restart, and his volley from 30 yards was well taken by Parry.

Then the big keeper stopped Riley’s angled shot from 10 yards after 55 minutes, and pushed away McCallister’ free kick a minute later as he kept his side from conceding.

Crighton made a timely interception in 61 minutes inside the penalty box on Sutherland after McAllister had set up a real chance.

Jamie Bain made an early impact as a substitute when he sent over a dangerous cross into the box from the right wing in 62 minutes, but there were no takers as the ball raced in front of keeper Smith.

Both sides made changes but Peterhead were hit with a sucker punch in 71 minutes after Noble’s pass back to Smith was short, and substitute Bain raced in to fire the ball past the keeper into the right hand corner of the net.

In the final minute Bain’s delivery, again from the right, was flicked by David Cox and was netbound only to see Smith save and clear the danger.

In spite of late pressure from the visitors Airdrieonians held on for all three points.

Bain won the man of the match award for his decisive awareness on the goal, but Parry probably had his best game for the club since signing in the summer.

John O'Brien at New Broomfield.

Photographs © Robert Dalzell. Click to view full-size.